Chapter Twenty
OVER THE NEXT MONTH, a lot had changed, and I wasn’t talking about work.
Grayson had changed.
It was only in small ways, but still, I could see them.
Actually, I could feel them.
For some reason he seemed happier, and whenever I was close to him, he would reach out to touch me in some way. A hand to the back or arm. A finger graze here or there. Each time, my body would light with fire, and each time I would become confused by it.
He couldn’t actually like me, right?
Maybe he would be like that if he had a sister or something.
Though another thought had occurred to me. In the weeks after my family had left, he’d seen how sad I had become, so it could be his way to show he cared, to show his support.
Whatever it was, it was driving me insane and made it impossible to get over my crush. He was everywhere I went in the building when I wasn’t working. If I went for a swim, he’d show up. If I were in the kitchen, he would waltz in with a smirk on his face.
Worst of all, just the previous day, he came into the kitchen when I was having breakfast and informed me he was having his side of the apartments renovated. My body stiffened with a spoon halfway to my mouth.
“Pardon?” I’d asked.
“Tomorrow, I’m moving to one of the rooms on your side while they redo my side.”
“But… you have a whole guest floor you could stay in.”
His brow arched as he took a sip of his coffee. “You would kick me out of my own apartment rather than share your side?”
I paled. Would it be rude if I said yes? Just the thought of having him close to my room sent my emotions wild.
“Um, no?”
He chuckled before he walked out of the room.
All I had to do was hope I didn’t somehow sleepwalk for the first time in my life right into his room and climb into bed with him. Then again, maybe having him in the room next door was a good idea. He could snore. I hated snoring. I was a light sleeper so little sounds woke me. He could also have night terrors and scare the crap out of me. Then I would move to the guest floor… after I comforted him, of course.
Shaking my head, I stirred the pumpkin soup on the stove. I opted out on music that night because it was payback time. As soon as I heard him coming, which I knew he would, because he was getting to the apartment earlier to have dinner with me, I was going to hide and jump out at him. I wanted to film it, his girly scream, but I thought just knowing I’d finally got one up on him would be enough.
“Hey, honey. What’s for dinner?”
Jumping, I squawked out a scream and turned with my hand over my chest. “Dylan, you shit. You scared me. Wait, you can’t be here. Did you see your brother on the way up? Is he coming soon?”
“Why? You planning on having a romantic dinner with him?”
I snorted, then laughed and blushed. “No. Don’t be stupid.”
He rolled his eyes. “Then why can’t I have dinner here?”
“I was planning on payback.”
“You’re going to poison him?”
“What?” I cried. “No, why would I want to do that?”
He shrugged, walked over to my side, and grabbed the wooden spoon out of my hand. “That was the only thing that popped into my head.” He took a taste of the soup and moaned. “You’re not getting rid of me now. What else are we having with it?”
Sighing, I said, “Roast lamb.”
“Yeah, baby. Now we’re talking.” He leaned into the counter and kept stirring the soup for me. “So what payback were you talking about?”
“Scaring him. Every day, without a doubt, I jump out of my skin when he sneaks up on me. I was going to do it to him, and then if he got angry, I’d show him what’s for dinner.”
“Oh, I’m staying for this.” His smile was a little wicked.
“Good, you can play lookout then. Get over near the door, and when you hear him, I’ll hide beside the door. Once he’s through, I’ll jump out.”
“Pure evil. Good to see you’re working it on my brother instead of having me watch a scary movie,” he said as he walked over to the door and opened it a crack.
“It was one time. One movie, Dylan, and you still haven’t got over it?”
“Nope.”
“Have you spoken to Lori lately?” I asked, glancing over my shoulder at him to see his grin. I turned down the heat and faced him.
“I have. I’m thinking of taking some time away to go see her.”
He really was taken with my sister. It was wonderful to see and hear about. Especially when all I heard from Lori was Dylan this and that.
“She’d love to see you, and Dad would love to castrate you.”
He chuckled. “I can handle your father.”
“Uh-huh, sure.”
Dylan opened his mouth to say something when he suddenly looked back out the door. “He’s coming,” he whispered, his eyes lit with humor and something else I couldn’t quite pinpoint.
Still, whatever it was, I put it to the back of my mind and quickly dashed for the door. I stood beside it, and Dylan moved around the corner more near the kitchen table.
As Grayson grew closer to the room, I thought I heard him talking, but then it fell silent. My heart raced in my chest. I shifted from one foot to another as a thrill ran through my body. I was giddy with adrenaline, and I nearly giggled from it.
Finally payback.
The door opened. His face was turned away. Still, I jumped out and screamed.
He yelled back and faced me, still yelling.
That was when I realized it wasn’t Grayson.
Oh shit, oh shit.
The man clutched his chest and stumbled back. Grayson, who was behind the man, caught him, and helped him lie on the floor.
“Oh my God. Oh my God. I’m so sorry. So, so, sorry.” I got to my knees on the floor beside him as Grayson shifted to his other side, also on his knees. I told the stranger, “I thought you were Grayson. He’s always scaring me and I wanted to pay him back.”
The man gasped for breath, terrifying me when he grabbed at his chest again. Was he going to have a heart attack? My stomach dropped, my hands shaking with fear.
Dylan’s laughter registered.
Spinning my head toward him in the doorway, I snapped, “Now’s not the time to laugh, Dylan.” Meeting Grayson’s eyes, I ordered on a yell, “Grayson, do something. Does he have a bad heart?” I got close to the man and begged, “Please, please be okay. Do you need something? I’m sure Grayson’s got something to help. Heart pills, Advil, Viagra? Something? Anything? Please, please be okay.”
“Why in the hell would you think I have Viagra and heart pills?” Grayson snarled from the other side. “I don’t need either of those.”
“Grayson, don’t snarl at me. He’s dying, and it’s all my fault.” My bottom lip trembled.
Grayson scoffed. “You can stop acting now, Vice.”
The man on the floor quickly ceased struggling and grinned up at me.
My eyes sprang wide. My mouth dropped open. “W-what is this?”
“Oh hell, I think I’m going to piss myself.” Dylan grabbed his stomach and rushed from the room.
I sat back on my knees and narrowed my eyes at the two remaining men. “What is this?”
Grayson stood. His hand went out to Vice and pulled him to stand beside him. Slowly, I got to my feet. My hands went to my waist, and I leaned in to hiss, “What is this?” Straightening, I huffed and walked into the kitchen making my way to the stove. “Stupid men and their stupid games.”
“And you weren’t about to play a game on me?” Grayson questioned, coming to stand beside me. He leaned into the counter and raised his stupid sexy brow up at me.
“Of course I was. You get your kicks scaring me. I thought it was about time I did it to you.” I shifted to the side of the stove and leaned my butt against the counter. “How did you both know?”
“What I want to know is why you thought I would have Viagra in my bathroom? Also, why in the hell would you suggest it to someone who could be having a heart attack?”
Heat hit my cheeks. “I was just throwing the idea out there. Doesn’t it help men’s heart race while they… I mean, men can go all night on the stuff. I thought it could help pump—”
“Makenzie.” Grayson shook his head. “I don’t have any, and I can still go all night.”
“Eep,” I squeaked like a damn mouse. My belly fluttered happily. Though that was information I didn’t need to know and only fed my crush that much more.
Grayson’s lips twitched. He looked to Vice, so I looked there also. “Vice Salvatore, business associate and old friend, I’d like you to meet my assistant, Makenzie Mayfair.”
Vice sent me a chin lift while he sat at the table. He also smiled, and then said, “Good to finally meet the woman behind the voice.”
“Ah, you also, though it could have been under better circumstances. How did you two find out?”
Grayson raised a brow and Vice’s smile widened.
“Dylan,” I bit out through clenched teeth.
“You called?” Dylan grinned as he came back into the kitchen.
“You.” I pointed. He froze. “You told them? How? You were in the kitchen the whole time.”
He winked. “Honey, don’t be too mad. But we brothers have to stick together, and I’m a whiz at texting without anyone seeing.”
“He never saved you from the horror film,” I pointed out.
“True. But I always enjoy your reaction. No one ever knows what will come out of your mouth. It always makes me laugh. Viagra. Brilliant.”
“Right,” I said, nodding to myself. “Okay, that’s fine.” I nodded again and turned back to the stove. “Who would like some soup?”
“Now, Kenzie. Whatever you have drafting up in that sweet noggin of yours, don’t even think about it.”
Glancing over my shoulder, I asked, “Is this when I should be cackling like a mad woman with a plan to scare you?”
“No, no it’s not. I’m already scared from the look in your eyes. Cutie-pie, come on now. You don’t want to harm your future brother-in-law.” He was referring to Lori, right, not me and Grayson? He came over to my side and threw his arm around my shoulders. “Kenzie, you’re my BFF, babe.”
“Aw.” I patted his hand and took the pot off the stove, turned, and placed it on the mat on the island counter near the bowls. Dylan moved with me, then behind me so he could wrap both arms around my chest.
His nose nuzzled my neck. “You don’t want to upset your sister by harming her man?”
“Pfft, please. Lori will be on my side once I tell her what you did.”
“Dylan,” Grayson clipped.
We both looked up. His eyes were hard. My brow dipped in confusion, but then I was distracted by Dylan stepping away from me to grab some spoons.
“Anyway,” he started, “dinner smells amazing.”
It was after dinner and business talk, I received high praises for the soup and roast. Dylan then quickly slipped out saying he needed to make some calls, no doubt to my sister.
Grayson stood a few moments after his brother left to grab me a glass of wine and a Fat Tire for himself and Vice.
“Sweetheart, did Grayson ever tell you about the time he ran naked through the courtyard at college?”
My eyes widened and laughter spilled from me. “What? No. This I have to hear.”
“Vice,” Grayson warned. Were his cheeks pinking?
Thank God Vice ignored his friend and told me how Grayson used to play football and as a tradition, rookies were locked out of the locker room naked.
Grayson groaned and sank into his chair. “Makenzie, don’t listen to a thing he says.”
Smiling, I ended up laughing. “Sorry, boss. But I think we’ll have Vice around for dinner more often. What else did young Grayson get up to?”
Vice told me a few more stories, which had me laughing aloud. Grayson seemed to like getting into a bit of trouble. He even attended a rally against animal testing, which I thought was sweet. Until I found out he only did it to get the girl he was after. Only in the end, he went on one date with her and returned to his dorm pale faced. She was a “natural” woman, who didn’t like to shave. Grayson had told Vice he swore she was part yeti.
After some time, Vice leaned forward, his elbows on the table. He winked and said, “I’ll have to save some stories for next time. Just to make sure I get invited back over.”
“You won’t,” Grayson bit out. He’d been quiet throughout the tales of his college days. I was surprised he didn’t wade in to stop Vice, but his small smile told me he was having fun listening to the old times.
“You will. Ignore him.”
Grayson rolled his eyes and grinned. After a swig of his second beer, he said, “I think I’ll have to call your father for more stories about you when you were younger.”
Snorting, I told him, “I was an angel compared to you.”
“Not what I heard when you’re on cough medicine.” Vice chuckled as I gasped, then choked on my sip of wine.
Pounding my chest, I glared over at Grayson. “You told him?”
“It’s not every day my assistant flashes herself and climbs me.”
My whole body flushed. Groaning, I hid my face behind my hands. “I can’t believe you said that.”
Both men laughed.
To change the subject, I said the one thing that had been on my mind. Only it should have probably stayed in my head. Removing my hands, I said, “Vice, you were very… abrupt on the phone the first few times. I could even say you were an ass, but in person, you seem like a nice guy.” I covered my hand with my mouth as both men stared at me. Then Vice threw his head back and roared with laughter.
Calming, he patted Grayson on the shoulder and said, “Now I see what you mean. No filter on this one. It’s refreshing.”
Grayson had said I was refreshing?
That was sweet, in a way.
“Babe, Grayson and I are so much alike. If we’re having a stressful time at work we—”
“Become an ass,” I offered with a smile.
He chuckled and nodded. “Yeah. What you’ve got to learn is to not take our shit and give it back if we’re in the wrong.”
Grayson snorted. “Believe me, she’s getting there. She either ignores me, snaps back, or rolls her eyes.”
“Which I’m sure drives you fucking insane.” Vice smiled.
Grayson looked to me, grinning. He glanced back to Vice and said, “It does.”
“Shit, Gray.” Vice chuckled, shaking his head.
Shit?
What did shit mean?
“I am in the room.” I glared.
They again laughed.
Harrumphing, I sat back in my seat and took another sip of wine. Thankfully, they brought up another subject, only it was back to work, which bored me, mainly because I was tired.
Standing, I said, “I’m going to head to bed. Vice, it was a pleasure to have your company. I look forward to the next time to hear more stories of Grayson.”
My boss snorted.
“Babe, been an amazing meal and company. Best night in a while. I’ll be back soon.”
“Good to hear it, and maybe when you call next, you’ll remember not to snap my head off.”
He chuckled once again. “I’ll try.”
Smiling, I nodded. “Thank you and good night.”
“Night, babe.”
I shifted my eyes to the other man. “Good night, Grayson.”
He gave me a chin lift, his eyes warm, though that could be from the beer. “Good night, Makenzie.”
It wasn’t until later as I lay in bed that I remembered Grayson was only a few feet away sleeping… naked maybe.
Did I get any sleep after that thought?
No.